Sunday, April 25, 2010

CLXXXXI- The Letter

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Today, April 25th, is ANZAC Day in Australia. Ninety-five years ago Australian soldiers were landed in southern Turkeyas part of Churchill’s ill-conceived plan to attack Germany from the south. Thousands died.

Prologue

There’s a picket fence and a cottage gate,
An anxious frown, the postman’s late…
He comes at last, he understands,
And the precious envelope changes hands.

The Letter

Dearest Mother, it’s late, it’s cold,
Me and some mates are in a trench,
Huddled for warmth, no food, no smokes.
I can’t begin to describe the stench
Of the bodies we have no time
To bury in any sort of respectful way.
They say the push is on tomorrow,
Never have I so dreaded the day.
It’s a lottery, you know, who gets shot
We shout and holler and run the guns,
To drop and dig all over again.
Greetings from Hell, your loving son.

Epilogue

As every mother ruefully learns
It’s not her son who eventually returns;
There’s a stranger standing in her hall,
If, of course, he returns at all.

Lee: Would you believe the US military has Warrior Transition Units? These are where traumatised military folk are told to 'buck up, fellah. REAL soldiers don't cry' and then wonder at the suicide rate. Me? Cynical? Of course not. Sorry. Raw nerve. You Dad was in the Korean War, wasn't he?

my grandfather on my mother's side survived the trenches of WWI as a young man. according to my mother he had nightmares for the rest of his life.my father and some uncles were WWII survivors (one uncle died). i grew up with wwii stories .. i had an uncle who died during the Korean War.It's a terrible thing.

and, yes .. these military transition units do not work ...duuuh ...

your tribute to your country men is touching and obviously struck a chord with me.